Seven Days
by valentine999
Summary: Falling in love with Gaara in seven days, GaaraxOC. Gaara's OOC in this.
1. Monday

I wrote this story because i've begun work in my local hospice and thought it up because of it!

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**Monday**

Mari cursed the rain. Of all the days her bus should break down and it would be raining, it had to be this day. She was already ten minutes late for her introductory meeting and was only half way there. She picked up the pace and silently swore as the rain splashed about her feet, ruining her jeans; it drenched her hair and poured down her neck, dampening her clothes. They said it would be sunny so she'd dressed in a light jacket and t-shirt but no, it was raining. She hated the rain.

The building she approached was a few roads from the high street so she had to cross the road that was full of morning traffic. Water cascaded around her as the car's wheels spun the liquid at her maliciously. Again she sighed in frustration and managed to cross the road quickly enough. She entered the building and stood in the foyer, water dripping from her hair and jacket onto the floor. It was 7.30 am and the meeting had begun half an hour ago. She glanced around for people as the hospital usually became busy after 8 o'clock, she saw a map with a mop looking down at her feet. She glanced downwards and saw the small pool of water forming at her feet.

"Sorry!" She said quickly and the man, old but with high spirit smiled at her and shook his head. "Do you know if anyone's coming back to reception?" She asked, indicating with a nod of her head at the desk that as empty. The man looked her up and down and sighed.

"You a student?" He said in a voice that was far more consoling than she thought it would be, she nodded. "You here for the meeting?"

"Yes!" She said, happy that someone could help her. He nodded and pointed down the corridor on her left, she went to his side to glance down the deserted pathway.

"Up the stairs at the end and turn left." He grunted and she smiled gratefully at him.

"Thanks and again," she moved away from him but still looked at him so she was walking backwards, "I'm really sorr-ah!" She gasped as she hit something behind her. Turning quickly her instincts made her grab the hand of the person she hit so they didn't fall over. "Sorry!" She said quickly but as she looked at the person she'd bumped into, who had only stumbled back slightly, she was speechless. He was saying something to her but she couldn't hear it, she stared at him slightly breathlessly. He was so beautiful, she smiled numbly at him. His waves of crimson hair, dark and messy and his eyes were a strange colour, what would be the name of it? Like the ocean, the colour of the ocean, dark rimmed as though he were wearing eyeliner but still, he was handsome.

"I said it's ok." The boy waved a hand in front of her face to get her attention and smiled slightly embarrassingly as she nodded slowly.

"You're an awfully clumsy girl aren't you?" The old man said as he chuckled at them both, he looked to their hands as he laughed and Mari immediately let go of him, she blushed furiously and the boy rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright Gaara?" The man said, Mari looked to the boy, now named Gaara and he nodded.

"Yeah, the students in?" Gaara asked and laughed as the man nodded. "Well I best get going, see you around err..." Garra looked to her and she spoke quickly.

"Mari."

"Mari," he repeated and smiled at her. She watched him walk away, tilted her head to one side and bit her tongue as she saw his beautifully defined body move away from her.

"Someone's going to be late for their meeting." She heard a voice say and turned slowly to the old man.

"What?" She asked in a dreamy voice, he laughed and pointed to his watch. She looked at it for a moment and then sprung into action.

"Right!" She began to run away from him, "thanks and-"

"Yeah, yeah," she heard him mutter, "you're sorry."

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"Nice of you to join us." Mari heard as she tried to sneak into the back of the meeting, she straightened up from her crouch and tried to laugh it off as the other students snickered. "You've missed health and safety so come back here tomorrow morning, an hour earlier than everyone else, to see the repeat session." Mari slumped into her chair and wished the floor would open up and engulf her to save her from the embarrassment she felt. "We're going to go out onto the wards now so everyone buddy up and all you'll be doing is teas and coffees so don't get too happy." She addressed the class and her best friend, Tusko came up to her with a smile.

"Hey, what kept you, we were all wondering where you were!" Mari was about to answer when, in her usually manner, her friend just kept on talking, "anyways this voluntary work seems pretty easy, teas and coffees, taking the blood samples-"

"Mari!" She stopped as she heard her teacher call out to her, "you'll stay behind with me!" She cringed and turned around to go to the teacher.

"It's not my fault the bus broke down!" She muttered to her friend who sighed.

"You really have the worst of luck!" Tusko called back to her as she walked out with another friend. Mari waited until all her classmates walked out, snickering at her and patting her on the back as they left.

"What was it this time?" her teacher, a young, stern woman in her early twenties asked.

"The bus broke down, I ran as fast as I…" but she could see it was no use and so chose not to give excuses, "I'm sorry." Was all she could say and the teacher nodded.

"Well I'm going to keep an eye on you just for today. For tomorrow; think you can make it back here on time?" Mari nodded and the woman sighed, "you really need to start-" _paying attention, _Mari finished in her head; she'd heard this lecture enough. Her teacher lectured her all the way to the ward they were meant to be on; Paediatrics. Mari was no longer listening to her teacher but smiled around at all the children on the ward as they ran to each others bed as fast as any child patient could. This was the only ward that was noisy in the entire hospital; a messy place of colour and laughter, Mari decided she was glad that the teacher had asked her to come to this ward. "Well, we're serving milkshakes; watch out for diabetics, their charts are-"

"Bright blue." Mari answered but her attention was caught by a figure in the distance. The boy she had met that morning was sat by a patient's bed, reading a book to her. A small girl of five with blue eyes that looked as though she had been crying. She sniffed as he read quietly and wiped her brown hair roughly away from her face to get a better look at the pictures in the book.

"Mari!" Her teacher almost yelled and Mari blushed as Gaara looked up at who was shouting.

"Yes?" She asked quickly and looked away from Gaara as her face reddened.

"You've done this before haven't you?" She nodded, "Good, I'll be chatting with nurses while you get on with drinks," Mari nodded and went to the kitchen. She washed her hands, put on the green apron and took out the drinks trolley. She was walking backwards with the trolley and felt something hit her back. She hoped like crazy that it wasn't a child patient and turned around. It was a little boy, with a bandage around his head but as she apologised he was too busy arguing with another boy. She listened in to their conversation but was surprised to see Gaara at her side in an instant.

"Alright," Gaara said and put a hand on the boys shoulder, "what's going on here?" The little boy looked up at him and frowned while scratching his head.

"Daiki has these cards see Gaara!" The little boy held up some cards with characters on them and Gaara took some, inspected them and as he did showed Mari the cards by handing them to her. She smiled; she thought he hadn't noticed her. "And so do I, but then they fell on the floor and we can't tell whose is whose!" He said and the other boy immediately began shouting they were his and before they could start a physical fight Gaara stepped between them.

"Ok, OK!" he said to them both and as Daiki ried to grab the cards from Mari he picked the child up. "Hows about we…" he had no thoughts, "Mari, any ideas?" He asked her and she jumped as she realised what he was asking.

"Oh erm, OK, why don't we…" she thought for a moment, "Daiki!" He looked at her from over Gaara's shoulder as she addressed him, "divide the cards in half-"

"That's rubbish!" The little boy with the bandaged head shouted, "he's gonna divide them into good and bad cards and give me the bad ones!" He pouted and Mari looked down at him to silence him.

"I hadn't finished," Gaara smiled slightly at her as she seemed to be more confident, "Daiki put the cards into two piles and you," she pointed at the bandaged child, "pick which half you'd like first." The boys seemed to contemplate this.

"So that means," Daiki said, working it out, "I'll have to divide them equally."

"Exactly." Both boys smiled.

"Cool!" They both exclaimed and Gaara put the boy down so he could divide the cards. Gaara looked around at her and smiled.

"I guess you're a volunteer?" He asked and she nodded.

"Are you?" She asked quickly and he took a moment before nodding as well. They stood in silence for a moment and Mari looked around shyly as she sensed Gaara's gaze was on her.

"I have to get going for today." He said and picked up his jacket from a nearby bed. "That was pretty clever; your solution to the card problem," he said and she shrugged as if it were nothing, "pretty, clumsy, smart…" he said quietly to her as he walked by, "odd combination." She blushed as he said this and didn't turn around to watch him walk away. She heard him shout a goodbye from the door to all the children and she turned to him. As she put up an arm to wave goodbye she knocked a sheaf of papers out of a nurses hand. "I'm so sorry!" She said and helped pick the papers up. Se looked to the door; luckily Gaara hadn't seen her and that was the last she saw of him that day.

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_Please review!_


	2. Tuesday

Btw- Mari is pronounced (Maar-e, not Marry)

**Tuesday**

When Mari arrived at the hospital on Tuesday morning, it was even more deserted than yesterday. 6 am meant that the lights in the main building weren't even on, Mari had to find her way to them in the darkness, luckily the doors were open and as she turned on the lights she turned at the sound of oncoming footsteps.

"Well, well, well." The elderly janitor walked up to her, dragging his mop and bucket behind him. "Someone came early so they don't miss the meeting?" He guessed but she smiled in a way that showed him he was wrong. "Oh," he said consolingly, "punishment for being late yesterday?" He asked and laughed when she smiled guiltily. "Well get a move on then," he hit the back on her legs slightly with his mop to get her to move, "or else you'll be in trouble again!" Mari jumped forwards as he hit her and almost fell over. She managed to regain her balance and mumbled her thanks as she was still a bit sleepy. She waved a hand at the man to show she heard what he shouted, she hadn't heard, she was still too tired to care about much. She made her way up the stairs slowly, hardly stifling a yawn, turned left and opened the door.

"Sorry I'm late." She said out of instinct even though she was ten minutes early.

"That's alright." She heard the lecturer say. But it wasn't the lecturer's voice; she looked up and was tired no more.

"You…" she said but found she had nothing to say as she looked at Gaara who was sat at the front of the room. One leg thrown lazily over the side of the chair, he ran a hand through his hair but wasn't looking at her. For some strange reason she found that she really had nothing to say about the situation; she didn't want to as him why he was here or where the lecturer was. The room was a lecture theatre, rows of chairs accompanied with long tables in front of them. She took a seat in the middle of the third row from the front and dropped her bag to the floor as she slumped in her chair. She rested her head against the desk in front of her and yawned.

"Tired?" Gaara asked and she mumbled something, "sorry?" She looked up and blushed as he was now sat up, looking straight at her.

"It's 6 in the morning," she sighed, "who isn't tired?" He jumped up from his chair and onto the table in front of him.

"I'm not," he said and walked away from her. She sat up now and watched him jump down from the table once he'd reached the end. He looked back at her and smiled. "What're you doing in here anyway?" He asked.

"Oh," she felt her face redden, "I came in late yesterday so had to come to the repeat session this morning." She said quietly and her face turned redder than the colour of his hair as he laughed at her.

"Sorry to tell you this but erm," he waited for her to look at him, "the lecture this morning was cancelled." He waited for her to get mad but she didn't, she merely groaned and slumped forwards so that her head hit the table.

"Ow." She said quietly and he laughed silently; that must've hurt.

"You alright?" she heard him walking towards her, "what ward you on today?" She still didn't look up, even when he was right in front of her.

"I think I'm helping in A&E." She looked up at him.

"Ouch," he reached out and touched her forehead and for a moment she was paralysed as his skin brushed against hers. "looks like you're gonna need to go to A&E." As he drew his hand away from her she saw that there was blood on his fingertips.

"Oh, terrific." She said sarcastically and took a tissue out of her bag.

"Could be worse." He said but was silenced as she shot him a dirty look.

"How?" She asked and stood up to leave.

"I might not be here." They looked at each other for a moment, trying to figure out what he meant by that because even he didn't seem too sure. He tore his eyes away from hers and coughed pointedly, she stopped looking at him immediately. "You gonna go to A&E then?" He asked quickly.

"Yep." She replied and dabbed her forehead with the tissue. "Ow," she repeated quietly and walked out of the room. It took a moment to realise that her shadow was really Gaara. "Are you still with paediatrics?" She asked and he came up to her side.

"What?"

"Paediatrics, are you still working with them?" He still looked at her blankly and then it seemed to dawn on him what she meant.

"Oh," he seemed to not want to look at her. "No, no I'm down at-"

"Gaara," a nurse came up to them both, she was a motherly type of character that immediately began to inspect Mari's cut when she saw her. "They want you down at radiology." She said with a quick smile at him.

"Radiology." He finished his sentence for Mari who waved him goodbye as he walked off. She watched him walk away as she usually did and the nurse had to pull her chin back to face her.

"Sorry," she said quickly.

"I wouldn't worry about it." The nurse smiled at her, "they all lose concentration when he walks by," she nodded down the corridor and indeed as Mari watched him walk away nurses tried and failed to hide the fact that they stared as he walked past them. "Poor thing never gets too close." The nurse muttered and sat Mari down.

"Sorry?" Mari said for she wasn't sure what she heard. The nurse shook her head.

"Nothing, nothing." But she seemed to change her mind, "see the thing is about that boy is that he has a heart of gold, really he does. He's always down in paediatrics with me, helping the children with-"

"Yep, that's Gaara," another, much younger nurse came up to Mari and the nurse. "Virtuous in every way but so…" Her voice trailed away.

"Distant." Another nurse said to her as she walked past.

"Yeah," the young nurse said, "always too scared, or shy to get close to anyway. Shame," she added and walked away. Mari was still confused.

"But why is he like that?" Mari asked and winced as the nurse cleaned her wound with an antiseptic cloth.

"Well," the elderly nurse pursed her lips, "the boy has gone through a lot, he's _still _going through a lot." She shook her head with a sigh, "it's not my place to say but if I were you," she said as she placed the plaster on Mari's forehead, "I'd steer clear."

"But why?" Mari said and immediately regretted how outspoken she was for the nurse merely looked at her in distaste and she was silenced. "Sorry; it's not your place to say." _But I could always find out, _Mari thought as the nurse handed her a lollipop.

"You've been a good girl today, you deserve a treat." She said kindly and Mari was never one to turn down a sweet. She took it gratefully.

"Thanks," she said and the nurse walked away. Mari stood up from her chair and was about to walk away when the nurse came back. "I'm sorry Mari, but I can't stress it enough; Gaara, just," she paused, thinking of what to say, "just don't get too close." Mari nodded with a confused look and walked away to A&E.

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"And if blue were green or red were green everything would be brown." Dei said from his wheelchair to Mari who nodded.

"Of course," she replied enthusiastically to his musings even though they were nonsensical. She had agreed to wheel him around the hospital gardens but it was proving more difficult than she thought; Dei was seventy-four years old but due to a fragile mind everything was new to him. It saddened her when he talked of things that happened years ago as if they were happening now.

"It's a bit loud in here isn't it?" He shouted to her and she jumped; the gardens were completely silent. For a moment Mari was lost for words; it was so difficult to communicate with him that she felt helpless.

"I-"

"But really none of it matters because I'm leaving soon." He said slowly, to himself.

"Leaving?" Mari said and stopped pushing the wheelchair. She stopped next to a bench and sat down next to Dei.

"We all leave at some point." He said and she nodded. "Just that I'll be going before you, right?" He laughed, "age before beauty!" he said and laughed again. Mari nodded, not really listening to his ramblings.

"Not boring her are you," Gaara checked the name on the wheelchair, "Dei?" The old man looked around to Gaara who smiled at him.

"No," Dei said but then lapsed into silence; like a child does when told off, a silence that made Mari realise how vulnerable and childlike he was. Gaara sat down on the bench next to Mari.

"You got sent to Geriatrics then?" He asked and she nodded. "Your first time?" He said, noticing her silence, she looked at him and nodded again. "It's difficult," Gaara said to her consolingly, "for the first few times; difficult to think that life ends before you actually die." She looked at him sharply.

"What do you mean?" Gaara sighed and, Mari was shocked he did it, took her hand and looked out onto the greens.

"These people, doctors, treat life as though it were merely breathing." He said and she noted the scorn in his voice, "they'll hook someone like Dei," he nodded to him, "to any machine that'll keep his heart beating without realising that it never was a that'd make his heart beat quicker." Gaara said and Mari leant towards him.

"What would?" She asked quietly, Gaara closed his eyes and thought.

"Poetry, film, adventure, music, romance. The list could go on and on." Gaara said quietly. Mari fought down the desire to say _"my heart beats faster whenever you're around." _

"I like art." Dei said quickly. Gaara opened his eyes and seemed to be shocked he and Mari were so close. He sat back and released her hands.

"I bet." Gaara nodded at him and then at an approaching nurse.

"How was it in radiology?" She asked Gaara who shrugged.

"Boring as usual. See you Dei." He said and waved to the man as the nurse wheeled him away.

"Bye flower!" Dei waved at Mari who waved back, less enthusiastically than when she greeted him.

"Flower?" Gaara asked and she smiled.

"Yeah, he thinks that's my name." She laughed, "he also thinks we're still at war." Gaara chuckled slightly but then grew concerned as Mari kept laughing, "and he thinks that everything is brown." She said but soon her laughter turned into quiet sobbing.

"Whoa." Gaara said and put an arm around her, "it's ok."

"No," she shook her head, "no it's not, nothing's OK." She said and buried her face in her hands. She couldn't describe what she was feeling but Gaara understood it all at once. It was overwhelming to come across another person, old, fragile and broken. If you have never met it you'll never understand it. She felt lost, unsure of what to do, worried that her last days will be fragmented too. She fell into Gaara's arms and cried quietly.

"Mari, don't you want to be a doctor?" She moved away from him and nodded.

"Well then you're going to have to get used to things like this." He held her hands, "you're brave and strong and smart. You'll have no problem." He smiled at her and she laughed.

"Sorry." She said and wiped her eyes.

"Don't worry about it; I've been around this place long enough to know how it breaks hearts." He let go of her hands and got up, "that's one thing you're going to have to learn; you'll have to be ready for heartbreak." He said to her but like before there was a moment where they both tried to figure out what he meant. "I have to go." He said and stood up quickly.

"Wha-"

"I'll see you tomorrow Flower." He smiled at her and walked away. She watched him go, that was the last she saw of him that day.

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reviews appreciated :D


	3. Wednesday

Hullo, just to let you all know- the conversation Mari had with Dei was an actual conversation I had with a patient. He called me flower and all. Name was Richard. Shame he stopped coming to the hospice. I quite enjoyed our conversations.

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**Wednesday**

Mari didn't see Gaara at all on Wednesday. She wandered where he was and wondered the corridors in hope of catching a glimpse of him. But nothing; so it's not a day worth writing about.

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Best Chapter ever. There is a secret behind all of this you know so don't get mad that it was so small. I did it for dramatic effect. I can write. Just read my other ones :P

Reviews appreciated!


	4. Thursday

**Thursday **

"I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" Mari shouted as she jumped over the cleaner's mop and bucket, as she ran she heard something clatter to the floor, "sorry!" She shouted, unsure of whether or not it was her fault; history told her it probably was. The hospital had already started to wake up and Mari was serving breakfast on ward 4a, if she was late her teacher would surely ban her from the voluntary work all together.

"Mari!" a nurse shouted to her for now most of the nurses were familiar with the only clumsy girl in the entire hospital, "don't run, walk."

"Sorry!" she said and slowed down; as she did she walked past something that caught her eye. She doubled back and looked through the small square window in the door next to her. Upon peering through she came across the one reason she didn't want to be banned from this work. Gaara was sat on the bed in the isolated room, talking to a doctor who had his back to Mari. Gaara glanced up and tried very hard not to laugh as Mari jumped when he looked at her, took a step backwards and bumped into a nurse. "Sorry," she muttered before peering more stealthily through the glass. She stood dumbfounded for a second as Gaara, who evidently thought she wasn't there anymore, began to remove his shirt.

"Mari?" She heard her name being called but said and did nothing except look through the glass and stare with a stupid smile on her face. "Mari!" She heard it again but still didn't look around.

"Hmmm?" But she was brought back to her senses as Gaara looked at her and blushed, he held up his wrist and pointed to his watch when the doctor wasn't looking. Mari took a step back again.

"Damn, I'm late!" She said quickly and was about to run away when she realised who the person next to her was. "oh," she turned to her teacher, "hey." She nodded a greeting but the woman simply folded her arms.

"Go. Now." Was all she said and Mari obliged instantly, trying to blame Gaara for being hot when it was really her fault. She reached her ward in the middle of breakfast and quickly grabbed her apron and washed her hands. She went to the one person she knew would welcome her.

"Flower!" She heard her name being called and made her way there.

"Hey, Dei." She said and noticed he hadn't touched his food. "You hungry?" But Dei wasn't listening, he was watching something in the air. Mari sighed and decided he was hungry so cut up his toast into little pieces.

"Where's Red?" Dei said so loud and suddenly that Mari jumped and some of the toast fell off the plate. She didn't mind too much.

"Red?" He must mean Gaara; that was the only thing Mari thought about when she heard the word red. "He's…" actually, what was he doing in that room? It looked like he was having something checked out. She hoped he was OK. "Busy," she said when Dei finally looked at her, she fed him some toast, "but he'll be around later…I hope." Dei spoke with his mouthful for about three minutes, "sorry?"

"I said, what happens when Flower and Red get together?" Mari thought it was the opening like to a joke and didn't want to upset Dei so acted accordingly.

"I don't know, what happens when Flower and Red get together." _Fun stuff, _she thought with a slight smile. But Dei wasn't paying attention anymore; his eyes watched the lights on the opposite wall as they danced. Mari fed him another piece of toast but still he did not answer her.

"The answer's a red flower." Gaara said as he walked by.

"Of course," Mari smiled to herself; he must be ok to be walking around, he seemed normal. Gaara walked into the office next to Dei's bed and emerged a few minutes later, his hands holding some papers that Mari tried to glance at but his hands were covering any information.

"Have you had breakfast Mari?" He asked and she shook her head; her face reddened as she remembered only twenty minutes ago she had been staring at him as he undressed. "Well I'm just going to the roof for it; wanna come?" Mari really did want to go but she shook her head.

"I have to feed Dei," she nodded to him but as she looked back she saw the plate was empty. "I…what happened to the food?" She said and looked to Dei for an explanation, he smiled at her and Gaara laughed as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"I guess Dei got impatient." Gaara said.

"But they said he couldn't feed himself-"

"Yeah well some patients can do more than they give them credit for." Mari noticed the way Gaara talked in an oppressed tone; the second time he'd expressed his discontent for people of the hospital. But if he hated them so much, why was he working here? "So, breakfast?" Mari was still slightly dumbfounded.

"Sure," she said slowly and stood up. She followed Gaara out of the ward and up stairs that seemed to go on forever, "we're going _all the way _to the roof?" She sounded exhausted already and Gaara smiled; usually girls were never as truthful to him as she was, they'd pretend they were fine.

"Come on, it's not that far." He said and kept walking, he grabbed her hand and made her run to the top with him, she shouted in protest but soon smiled at the exhilaration of chase. They reached the top and Gaara breathed deeply.

"You're out of breath, ha!" She said and he hit her arm.

"You're on to talk!" He said and walked towards her in a menacing way. Her smiled faded as her back hit the roof entrance door and yet Gaara still walked to her. He was advancing fast and she was completely paralysed, his face came very close to hers and she froze completely. "Relax," he said quietly and she tried, she was about to close her eyes when- "I'm just opening the door." He said quickly. He did it and walked past her, out into the sunshine. She stood with her mouth open, a nervous twitch developing above her right eye, had he changed his mind? She was sure he was going to kiss her. He turned back to her and she smiled as she could just see him, the backdrop was the skyline of the city and the horizon. "Come here," he nodded to her. She walked out after him and gasped as she took in the view; the hospital was the third tallest building in the city and it gave an amazing view of the rest of the place.

"It's awesome." She said as she looked down.

"Yeah, it is." He said and she looked at him quickly with a smile but didn't turn away as his eyes locked with hers. Sunlight streamed through his red hair and he leant towards her, they came ever so close before, for the second time, Gaara moved away from her.

"What're you so afraid of?" She asked suddenly; finally fed up with him. She crossed her arms and expected him to get angry, he merely shrugged. "Where were you yesterday?" She asked as they had stood in silence for a good minute. "I missed you."

"Oh?" He looked at her sharply and she avoided his eye, "I mean I didn't _miss you miss you, _I just didn't bump into you so we never met; you know, like missing the bus." But it wasn't a very good lie. He smiled and shook his head.

"Whichever way you meant it, it still means you missed me." She raised an eyebrow.

"How?" He laughed at her.

"You missed me like you missed the bus? When you miss a bus you go to see it intentionally in hope of getting there, you miss it and regret it." She smiled as this made sense, "so you missed me." She was about to retaliate when he turned to her quickly and kissed her. They broke apart.

"Did you do that because you wanted to prove you weren't afraid?" She asked and he shook his head.

"I did it because I wanted to; since you bumped into me on Monday." He whispered to her and she blushed. "As did you since you watched me undress this morning." Her face went bright red.

"Oh, err, yeah, sorry about that." She tried to laugh it off but he just looked at her blankly. "Wait, why were you undressing?" He seemed to take a moment before he realised what she meant.

"Oh, I…bruised my shoulder," he rubbed his left shoulder but for some reason Mari thought he was lying. He saw her look and began to unbutton his shirt.

"Whoa, whoa," she said as she began to blush again, "steady on cowboy." He laughed and buttoned his shirt back up. "Oh no!" She grabbed his hand as she caught sight of his watch and looked at it. "I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" She shouted at him and ran from the roof.

"What about breakfast?" He said to her and she waved a hand in goodbye at him.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" She shouted and the roof's door shut behind her. Gaara stared out at the horizon; he'd have to tell her soon.

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review it XD


	5. Friday

Wooh- go ward 4a!

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**Friday**

"Whoa," the aged cleaner said slowly as he watched Mari walk in to the hospital. "Not late, messy or running around?" He said to her as she smiled at him and walked slowly as though in a daze. "What's happened?" He looked at her with concern but as he saw her shrug and sigh he recognised the symptoms immediately. "Who's the unlucky guy?" He chuckled as Mari gasped in offence.

"Hey!" She said and walked past him to go to her ward. "I'm no telling!" She said quickly.

"Come on!" He shouted over to her and she turned around.

"Gaara." She shouted back to him and he dropped his mop from his hands. She laughed and ran up the stairs to avoid his questions. He stared after her in disbelief; the clumsy girl had gone and fallen in love with Gaara. He shook his head, aware that the next time he saw her she would probably be heartbroken.

* * *

Tusko watched as Mari walked into the office and fill out her paper work without so much as a spelling mistake, outcry because there was so much to write or smudge of ink. In fact when Mari finished and smiled at her as she handed the file over, Tusko could swear there was something different about her. The grace of her movements that Mari had always lacked, were there along with something else she couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Alright, crack or LSD?" She asked Mari seriously.

"What?" Mari asked but didn't seem at all concerned by her friends' musings. That was another thing Tusko noticed; Mari seemed to think about something else all the time and not really register what was going on around her. Tusko stood up from her desk, walked around it and grabbed Mari by the shoulders.

"Are you on drugs?" She asked slowly and nodded her head to encourage a response. Mari raised an eyebrow.

"What're you talking about?" Mari asked just as slowly and Tusko was seriously worried now. Tusko could never figure out what it was because she thought her friend was never the type of person to react to such affection like this. Tusko used her index finger and thumb to open Mari's eyes wider, make them look into light and see how long it took her pupils to dilate. She let go of her and was just confused.

"You don't seem that high." She mused and Mari laughed.

"I'm not on drugs!" She laughed again and tried to sound offended. Tusko just couldn't figure it out then and looked at her friend with concern. Mari put her hands on Tusko's shoulders and looked her in the eye. "I'm fine. Just," she looked down, "for once, not a lumbering idiot." She said seriously.

"But why-"

"I think," Mari said, trying to figure it out too, "I think I'm in love." She muttered quietly.

"WHAT?! WITH WHO?!" Her friend screamed at her and Mari put a hand to her ears. "Hang on," Tusko said, "back up. How can you _think _you're in love?" Mar shrugged.

"I've never really felt it before so I can't compare it to anything. It's unlike anything I've ever felt." She sighed and sat down on Tusko's desk. "It's like, there's at least one person in the world who doesn't think I'm a complete waste of space; that I'm worth the risk." Tusko smiled at her friend, sat down next to her and put an arm around her.

"I never thought you were a waste of space." She said consolingly and Mari laughed.

"It's different." She shook her head as she really couldn't explain and stood up. "I've gotta go do tea rounds; you in the office all day?" Tusko nodded and Mari left.

"Wait!" Tusko shouted and Mari's head appeared from around the door. She smiled.

"Gaara," Tusko dropped the file in her hand as Mari ran off with a smile. Tusko rubbed the back of her neck, wondering what someone like Gaara, who in their town was renowned for dating the beautiful, unintelligent, selfish girls, would fall for Mari. Sure, Mari was pretty, smart and kind, so perhaps this time Gaara too had found the real thing. She smiled to herself and picked her file back up. She laughed as she realised it belonged to Gaara; she had to read through and enter dates on everything, it would only take about ten minutes.

Ten minutes later, Tusko was not smiling.

* * *

"What the?!" Mari shouted but a hand covered her mouth to stop her shouting anymore. She'd been walking along a corridor and was suddenly pulled into a janitor's closet. "Hey!" She removed the hand from her mouth and turned in the darkness to where she thought the person was. "Who is it?" She pointed a finger at them and felt someone lean to her ear.

"Wrong way."

"Gaara!" She whispered and turned around. "What the heck is wrong with you?!" She shouted but he put a hand to her mouth and leant in close.

"Keep your voice down!" He whispered urgently and she shivered as she felt his breath against her neck. She pulled his hand down from her mouth and kissed his cheek, for in the darkness she couldn't find his lips. He moved away from her quickly.

"What?" She said with a laugh but when she reached a hand out for him her smile faded because she couldn't find him; had he moved so far away? "Gaara, stop messing about-"

"Yesterday," he said quickly, "I made a mistake-"

"Did you give a diabetic patient a biscuit because I did that once-"

"No, no, no." he said and found it difficult not to laugh as she always went off on a tangent so quickly when she babbled on. "I mean, when I kissed you." There was silence for a moment as Mari tried to work out what that meant.

"A mistake?" She said quietly and looked around in the darkness for him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry but I don't like you like that-"

"Yes you do." Mari said slightly desperately, "I could tell, from the way you kissed me." She reached up and put a hand to his face, surprised she found it in the dark. He closed his eyes against her touch but moved away from her.

"_No _Mari, I don't-"

"Why don't you try the truth?" She asked scathingly and Gaara stopped; what did she know? "For once. Because I know that's a lie." She shook her head. "Well?"

"Ok, the truth?" He said and she folded her arms as she waited. "The truth is, I've fallen in love with you." Her eyes widened and she really couldn't understand why he was hurting her like this. "And that's why I can't do this." She wiped her eyes hurriedly, thankful for the darkness.

"You make no sense."

"No, no I do." He took her hand. "That's what I do, what everyone knows me for; I take girl's hearts and I break them. I love you; I'm not going to break your heart, so I'm not going to stay with you." He wiped a tear from her face.

"If you love me, you wouldn't-"

"I know myself enough not to trust myself. Trust me," he moved away from her, "I'm no good." Luckily she couldn't see him wipe his eyes after he dropped her hand. There was nothing left to say, he opened the closet door and walked out. He didn't look back. The door shut, trapping Mari once more in the darkness. She slid down the wall and shook her head. What happened? For once in her life she was so sure of something. Little did she know that Gaara was still lying.

* * *

Yes, Gaara's very mean. Has anyone guessed yet, what his secret is? I've dropped a fair few hints!

XD

Please review!


	6. Saturday

**Saturday **

Mari hated the rain. But that didn't mean that today she had to run through it. She walked, silently, slowly, through the streets of the town until she reached the building she knew so well now. She stood outside, letting the rain soak through the hood of her sweatshirt and drip down her neck. On second thought, she didn't mind the rain too much; during the summer holidays she'd often curse the heat, it was a nice break from the high temperatures. She pushed against the glass door and walked in.

"Hey," she muttered a greeting to the janitor who was walking past her quietly. He looked up at her, saw her face and then shook his head, "wha- oh, sorry." She said slowly and glanced down to the floor where a small puddle had formed at her feet. She had spoken devoid of emotion, not her usual jumpy way and he knew why.

"You OK kiddo?" He asked her uncertainly and she nodded.

"Yeah," she shrugged, "I'm going up to my ward," she began to walk away and then seemed to remember something, she turned back to him. "You wouldn't happen to know if Gaara's in today…what ward he's working on?" She sounded hopeful and he hated to break her heart again.

"Gaara's not on a ward," she stopped walking as he talked; there was something strange, an ominous tone in his voice. She laughed with a confused look.

"Ok," she smiled at him, "is he in today?"

"Gaara's not in today." He said quietly.

"Well, where is he?" She asked.

"Gaara's been transferred to Stoke, he's not coming back." She seemed stunned for a second and he looked away.

"Why?" She asked quietly and looked to the floor.

"For treatment."

"Treatment?" She had already worked it out, she knew what he meant, she just didn't want to spell it out for herself because somehow that would make it more real.

"Mari," he said consolingly but could see she wasn't really listening to him. "Gaara was a patient at this hospital." She put a hand to her mouth and shook her head. He decided he may as well tell her everything, "he spent so much f his time here as a kid he sort of got used to the place, and came in almost all the time to help out." She sat down on a chair opposite the man.

"He told me he was a volunteer too." She whispered.

"He likes to keep his illness to himself…I, here." He walked towards her and reached into his jacket pocket, removing a small white envelope and handed it to her. "That's about all he wanted me to say before I gave you this." She looked down and saw her name written on the envelope, she traced the word with her index finger.

"Thank you." Was all she could say to him, she didn't tear her eyes away from the letter and opened it with shaking fingers. Before she read she looked up for the janitor but found that he had already gone. "Ok, relax," she whispered to her self because her breathing was getting heavier as she unfolded the paper inside. She wiped her eyes quickly before reading.

_Mari,_

_Where should I start? How can I say how sorry I am just in writing? I guess J's told you a bit about me. I just wanted someone to be with you, someone I trusted, just to make sure you were OK. Well, I guess the rest is up to me to explain isn't it? _

_I became ill when I was a kid, with what it doesn't matter; it just means that life was going get a whole lot worse. So that meant that I should make the most of life, as quickly as I could, and you know how I did that? Everyone knows how I did that. I picked up the prettiest girls I could find and then I dropped them when I'd had enough. That was another thing; I could never hold on to something definitely because when you're me you know things don't last forever, so there's no point getting attached. _

_And then something happened that made me realise that this isn't the way I should be, that treating people like that isn't right. That was meeting you. No one has ever made me feel the way you have, it's so difficult to describe! I'm guessing you felt the same way about me? I don't tell people I'm sick because I hate the pitying looks they give me, the way they try and show me affection. Don't they realise that's the one thing I don't need? That's why I didn't tell you, because when I go, if any time soon, you'd be heartbroken. And I couldn't do that to you, so I thought I'd break it with something softer. But that didn't really work either. I hated hurting you as much as you probably hate me now. Please know that I never meant to hurt you like this. I didn't mean to get in so deep, I'm usually good at pushing people away but I just couldn't with you. _

_I went home yesterday after telling you I didn't need you. After telling you I love you and lying to you for the tenth time in our time together. You asked me where i was on wednesday? I was having treatment at another hospital, they'd been thinking of transfering me there for a while and a few days after meeting you i told them i wanted to transfer because i couldn't be around you much longer. it was getting too hard, too difficult to keep lying to you. Last night, I couldn't stop thinking about you, how much this has affected you. But one thing you should know is that I'm a coward, a complete coward. Because I could say none of this to your face. Because this is the only way I know how to say goodbye. _

_Gaara_

Mari wiped some of her tears that had fallen on to the page away, watching the ink run as she did so. When had Gaara written this? Last night, it seemed. She wiped her eyes hurriedly and looked up as she heard footsteps coming towards her. She lowered her gaze as her brow furrowed to concentrate on not breaking down. Her shoulders shook from the pressure of not crying and her throat hurt so badly her eyes were watering from the pain of it. She saw it was the janitor in front of her and as soon as she opened her mouth she let out a shuddering breath.

"I'm, I'm gonna go home." She said quietly and nodded her head at him.

"Ok, kid." She stood up and walked away from him, clutching onto the letter so tight the paper creased in her clenched fist. "Mari?" She turned to him and he didn't know what to say to her, she bit her bottom lip as she looked at him.

"I'll see you tomorrow J." She whispered and walked away. J, he smiled, that's what Gaara used to call him. Mari pushed against the glass door and walked back into the rain.


	7. Sunday

**Sunday**

"Where is she?" The woman said in exasperation, she turned on the spot; trying to look in all directions the foyer of the hospital could offer. J watched her for a moment, enjoying the fact that this uptight woman was flustered, and he knew why. She caught him staring and pointed an accusatory finger at him. He jumped and went back to mopping. "You!" She said and walked over to him swiftly, "you know where she is?" She asked in a dangerous whisper.

"Where who is, be more specific." He tried very hard not to laugh as she looked offended and J put on a serious look of interest.

"Mari." The teacher said after a moment, J leant against his broom and thought hard for a moment. Yesterday Mari had learnt the truth about Gaara, a truth that only a few people knew, could it have upset her that much? No, not Mari. She isn't like that; she's the type of girl that would go for whatever she wanted and not care about what others say, she was the fool everyone wanted to be; the fool that could follow their heart. But then that could only mean one thing. "What?" The teacher snapped as she noticed J's facial expression change from interest, to surprise, to concern.

"She wouldn't have…" He muttered.

"Wouldn't have what?" He looked the woman in the eye and for some reason felt glad Mari was doing what she was doing; in a way it was like showing the teacher she was capable of something more than just what they read about in books.

"She's gone to Stoke."

* * *

"Morning," Mari looked up as she heard the greeting and smiled a small smile that everyone recognised; she was visiting a patient. Nurses in the ward saw this smile all the time, one that was put on; a fake gesture of happiness when the person really did not feel like smiling at all. When their insides feel numb at the thought of looking at a loved one hooked up to a machine and it was obvious her heart was breaking with every step she took.

"Erm, hey." Mari whispered shakily as she reached the reception desk. The woman here was a lot more kind faced than the one in the hospital Mari had worked in. She looked up with a motherly smile and could tell Mari was new to patient visits. The teenager also seemed slightly intimidated by the level of noise and general business of the hospital, perhaps she had only ever been to the other one in the city?

"Hello dear," she said consolingly and noticed the way Mari avoided eye contact, brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled politely. She'd seen many cases like this. "Can I help you?"

"Oh," Mari seemed to realise that she hadn't said anything for a while, "I'm here to see someone-"

"Is it a doctor?" The woman said and Mari was surprised that the receptionist stood up, walk around the desk to Mari and put an arm around her. "I'm afraid they don't do anything for broken hearts." Mari gasped; did it show on her face that easily? The woman sighed and looked down at her before pointing a finger to a room beyond double doors. "He's through there." She whispered and Mari's eyes widened.

"How did you-"

"He talked about you often enough," the woman smiled and let out an airy laugh, "when he gets scared," her smile faded, "of treatment that is. It's hard for him…being alone through this. So he just talks, about everything in his life and for once, that everything seemed to be you." Mari smiled and looked down as her eyes clouded with tears.

"But he doesn't want me-"

"Then Gaara is a complete idiot." The woman said, "he doesn't even understand his own heart, I think that's because he's never been in love before." Again Mari was shocked.

"In love?"

"When you've had as much experience in life as I have, you can just tell." The woman took her arm away from Mari and pushed her towards Gaara's room. "Go on-"

"But what do I say?" Mari asked more herself than the receptionist.

"You say whatever it is your heart tells you to!" She shouted after her and watched Mari walk towards the double doors and open them. Mari walked towards his door and peered in the glass window, she had to stand on tiptoe to see through. She closed her eyes and without effort tears fell onto the disinfected floor beneath her. He was asleep, he looked so wonderful, so peaceful when he slept that she smiled. She quickly wiped her eyes, opened the door and with one last, shuddering breath, before walking in. There was something horrible, something uncertain about his vulnerability, seeing him lying in the bed that made it more real. Mari fell into the chair next to his bed and as she wiped her eyes, she was determined not to cry in front of him.

"Mari?" She looked up quickly as she heard her name being said, Gaara's eyes were still closed but she knew he'd spoken. She slipped off the chair, knelt by the bed, put one hand on his and smoothed his hair back from his face with the other.

"Idiot," she whispered and leant forwards to kiss his forehead.

"I told you not to-" he began but put a finger on his lips to quieten him.

"You think this will stop me," she laughed and saw his lips curve into a smile beneath her finger, "you're too late-"

"Too late?" He opened his eyes suddenly and was immediately concerned, thinking he'd hurt her again. She nodded.

"You can't save me," she whispered and put her head on the bed next to his chest, he glanced down to her and she stared at some spot beyond his head. "I've fallen in love with you." He removed his arm from under the stiff blankets so he could stroke her head. She finally looked at him and put a hand to his face after a moment of just staring at her he pulled her with the little strength he had onto the bed next to him. Neither cared much now for the formalities of visiting patients, to them they weren't visiting, they weren't even in the hospital. They were in their own world were it was just them, finally together after the hardest six days they'd ever endured. Mari closed her eyes as Gaara pulled her closer to him.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered above her and kissed her head.

"I forgive you." She whispered back. There were a few more moments of silence where they just enjoyed being in each others embrace.

"I love you." He said suddenly, "but-"

"No." Mari said sternly and sat up in the bed, she turned to him, "no more buts, or excuses or stupid reasons we can't be together," she shook her head and he sat up too. He moved close to her and put his forehead against hers, they closed their eyes.

"OK," he said, "no more." Mari nodded and smiled. "I just want to know-"

"I'm sure!" She said desperately and put her arms around his neck. "I know I can handle this and," she thought for a moment about how to describe it, "every time I turn around to leave my heart begins to break and I don't want to feel that anymore OK?" She opened her eyes and looked deep into his oceanic eyes. "I need you...and you need me!"

"OK." He smiled, and for the first time in ages Gaara felt happy. "I love you." He said quickly and laughed; realising he could say it now without worrying; he could say it and actually mean it too. Mari laughed and pushed him pack onto the bed in a playful way and he pulled her down on top of him. She was about to kiss him when he put a hand to his stomach and winced with pain.

"Oh no," she said and sat up, "are you ok?" He smiled at the look of concern on her face, "it isn't funny!" She hit him, "is it the effects of treatment?" she asked and he looked at her blankly.

"No, I'm just hungry." They both laughed and he looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hang on," he said slowly, "you do owe me a breakfast date."

So Gaara and Mari had breakfast the next morning, happy, content, hanging onto each others' every word like lovers do. Killing time in each others company doing absolutely nothing. But that was fine; doing nothing was perfect. Saying nothing because all that needed to be said could be said in a kiss. Thinking nothing out loud because they were probably thinking the same thing. Just being together was enough. Mari got what she wanted; someone who loved her just for being herself, clumsy and affectionate. And Gaara got what he always wanted; someone he loved to share his pain with, his happiness with, who did not see him as someone to pity but as an equal. In the end they were just trying to find someone who'd love them enough to let them fit in.

So now I guess you're thinking: _that's it? I knew the story was called "Seven Days," but just those seven chapters? After Valentine gave us 25 freaking chapters of Romancing the Kazekage AND a freaking sequel?! _Well, yeah, that's it. But do you wanna know why that's it? I chose the seven most important and interesting days of Mari's life. Because before this week all her days were:

_Mari woke up. Mari did something stupid. Everyone laughed. Mari was upset. Mari went to sleep._

Pretty boring right? Well now all her days go:

_Mari woke up. And remembered she was with Gaara. Mari was the happiest she had ever been. Mari lay back down next to Gaara, and slept in for ten minutes longer than she should have. Now she's late for work.  
_

That wouldn't have been much of a story. And Gaara's life? He never quite overcame his illness but was strong enough to stand it and, with his good looks and love of a decent story, went on to play a character in the popular manga-turned anime _Naruto. _OK that's a lie; this story has nothing to do with Naruto but hey- made you think didn't it?

**The End**

* * *

What a crazy ending! Seriously man, did anyone get it?! And it got too fluffy for me to even enjoy XP

Why don't you fatihful readers, as a good bye present, send me a review!


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